FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.—The Hobart baseball team improved to 4-0 for the first time since 1963 with a pair of wins over Methodist this afternoon. The Statesmen won Game 1 in a shootout 16-13 and captured Game 2 with a late rally 5-3.
Hobart pounded out 21 hits on the day, including six doubles and two triples. First-year
Quinn Dashefsky (.750), sophomore
Aidan Davenport (.600) and first-year
Jack O'Neil (.429) shared team-high honors with three hits apiece.
First-year
Alex Spezzano pitched 1.1 innings to get the win, while senior
Max Friedlander threw two innings to nail down the save in Game 1. First-year
Joe Dunham pitched the final three innings of Game 2, allowing just one hit while striking out five to pick up his first collegiate win.
COACH'S CORNER
"I'm proud of how our team came ready to play from inning 1 to inning 28. We never let off the gas. Anytime you travel 12 hours, first time on a baseball field, first time on dirt and come home with four wins is special. We started 17 different position players and showcased our depth." – Hobart Head Coach
Brad Cook
GAME 1: Hobart 16, Methodist 13 (7 inn.)
The Statesmen set season highs with 14 hits and 16 runs, including four doubles, in the opener. A standout six-run fourth inning highlighted Hobart's offensive prowess, helping them secure the victory despite Methodist's 17-hit effort.
Dashefsky was impressive at the plate, recording three hits, including a double, and driving in three runs. Sophomore
Jackson Rucker added two hits, including a double, and three RBIs.
Jack O'Neil scored three runs and logged two hits, including a double. Davenport contributed with two hits and two RBIs. Junior
Connor Schmiedlin collected two hits and three RBIs.
The Monarchs led 10-9 through four innings, but the Statesmen took the lead for good with a four-run fifth. Dashefsky tied the game with single to right that scored O'Neil. Rucker put Hobart in front with a single to left, scoring
Jack Farnen and Dashefsky. Davenport made it a three-run lead with a sacrifice fly that scored senior
Will Jones.
In the seventh, Hobart extended its lead with three insurance runs, highlighted by Rucker's run-scoring double.
GAME 2: Hobart 5, Methodist 3 (7 inn.)
The Statesmen picked up their fourth win of the season with a sixth-inning rally at Armstrong-Shelley Stadium.
Connor O'Neil led the Statesmen with a standout performance, going 2-for-3, including a triple, and driving in a run.
With Methodist lead 3-2,
Sean Garvin drew a leadoff walk.
Jackson Fowle laid down a bunt to sacrifice him to second. Garvin took third on a passed ball and scored on a single by
Connor O'Neil. Then with two on and two out, Davenport tripled to give Hobart a 5-3 lead.
Dunham struck out three over the final two innings to preserve the Statesmen advantage.
FOR THE RECORD
Hobart stands at 4-0. Methodist, which is the defending USA South champion, is 2-3.
GAME NOTES
- With at least one hit in all four games this weekend, Sean Garvin extended his hitting streak to seven games.
- Garvin has also reached base safely in 12 straight games.
- Christian Petry stretched his streak of reaching base safely to 15 games.
UP NEXT
The Statesmen return to the diamond at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28 at Muhlenberg.
